MLB Rumors

Mariners starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma allowed a season-high five runs in six innings during a no-decision Monday at Cleveland. He allowed seven hits and three walks, while striking out six.

Iwakuma was handed a 2-0 lead before he took the mound in the bottom of the first, but he gave up the lead in the bottom of the second inning as Ryan Raburn clubbed a three-run homer and Yan Gomes added a solo home run. Seattle battled back to tie the game at 4 in the third inning, but Iwakuma allowed Cleveland to jump back out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the inning. The right-hander then settled down to toss three scoreless innings before hitting the showers.

Iwakuma's ERA jumped from 1.84 to 2.37. He had allowed a total of five earned runs in his previous three starts. Iwakuma has failed to make it six innings just once this season.

Iwakuma, who hasn't lost a decision in his last five starts, will be back on the mound Sunday against the Rangers. He is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA against Texas this season.

Indians catcher Yan Gomes homered twice, which included a three-run, walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Monday's 10-8 win against the Mariners. Gomes also clubbed a solo home run in the second inning and finished 3 for 5.

Gomes, who has four home runs, extended his hitting streak to five games. He's batting .450 (9 for 20) with two home runs, two doubles and five RBI in that span.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria extended his career-best hitting streak to 14 games Monday at Toronto. Longoria went 2 for 4 with one run, one double and two RBI.

"It's the best baseball I've seen him play day in and day out, offensively and defensively," Rays manager Joe Maddon said, per MLB.com. "Every thing about his game has been superb, and it's been fun to watch."

Longoria is batting .393 (22 for 56) with three home runs, eight doubles and 14 RBI during his hitting streak. He's now reached base in a major-league best 43 games this season.

"I think the big thing is not chasing," Maddon said. "You talk about that all the time. Once a major-league hitter establishes his own strike zone and forces a pitcher to come to him more than he permits the pitcher to dictate, that's when he becomes really good."

Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez is in the team's lineup Monday. 

Ramirez needed a day off Sunday to rest his knee, but will return to the lineup after a day off. He's hitting .352/.407/.611 in 54 at-bats this year. Ramirez will hit fourth against Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw. 

Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb has struck out 52 batters in 53 innings, resulting in a career-high 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. But the right-hander said Monday he's not trying to get strikeouts and isn't confident his strikeout rate will remain this high.

"I'm trying to attack the zone," Cobb said, per MLB.com. "Once I get to two strikes, then I'm trying to put guys away. I don't think I'm striking out too many guys. I'd obviously rather get balls put into play earlier in the count, put it on the ground. But when it doesn't go that way, you have to improvise and try to get the guy out to the best ability. Once there are two strikes, I try to put them away. It's just going that way right now. It won't be like that later in the year."

Shin-Soo Choo will start for the Reds Monday.

Choo was not on the original lineup card, but was a late addition. He'll hit leadoff and play center. Shane Robinson will no longer get the start. Choo is hitting .309/.456/.549 in 162 at-bats this year. 

The Rangers announced Monday reliever Derek Lowe was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Josh Lindblom. Lowe was 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA in nine relief outings.

Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda (shoulder) received rave reviews following a 51-pitch outing in an extended spring game Saturday, according to the New York Post. The Yankees are hopeful Pineda will pitch in two more extended-spring outings (Thursday, May 28) before beginning a rehab assignment.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday infielder Eduardo Nunez (rib cage) is about "10 days away for us to think about (activation)," according to the New York Post. Nunez has been out of action since early May.

After leaving Sunday's game with a hamstring strain, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz is not in the team's starting lineup Monday.

He'll be replaced by Erik Kratz, who will bat eighth. Ruiz was expected to stay in Philly to have an MRI. The team called up Humberto Quintero Monday, so they could be expecting a DL stint for Ruiz.